Cockroaches are one of the most versatile pests out there, capable of living both indoors and out in a wide variety of climates. However, some places are definitely more hospitable for them than others, and if you have cockroaches, it’s highly likely that they’ll be in one of these common spots. Here are the top three places in your home where you’ll find roaches.
First of all, cockroaches like dark, enclosed, quiet spaces—and the interiors of your walls are exactly that. The lack of light, tight squeezes, and reduced noise makes the cockroaches feel safe, which is why they’ll often seek out places like debris piles, closets, cabinets, and even furniture. If they can get into a wall, however, they will, since this gives them a lot of places to run around in and allows access to most of the rest of the house. The best way to prevent this from happening is good caulking; make sure that all cracks, gaps, or openings into your walls are sealed off.
While it is difficult for you to get into the walls to poison the roaches, you can take advantage of special cockroach fighting products. Bait stations allow the roaches to eat the poison and then return to their nests before they die, spreading the insecticide into the nest (and doing double duty if other roaches eat the dead one). Also, gel bait can be squeezed into tight gaps like walls, allowing you to place insecticide in unreachable spots.
Although roaches like small, dark places, they’re willing to venture out of them for food and water. They need sustenance to survive and will thrive wherever you leave open food, small crumbs, or standing liquids. Bathrooms and kitchens are especially susceptible—check under sinks, in pantries, near pet food, and even in the trash for cockroaches. You can eliminate this problem by eliminating the source; clean up spills as soon as possible, repair leaking pipes, and cover anything edible.
Finally, you might be surprised to learn that roaches like to live in and under appliances. This is because they like warmth, and in many cases electrical wiring or a running motor will provide it for them. Also, kitchen appliances can be a good place for roaches to find food. Be sure to watch for roaches near your water heater, oven, refrigerator, microwave, and even toaster—keep these areas clean and place Combat Roach Killing Bait Strips if necessary. If you have any other questions, visit our Prevention Tips page for help.
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